Author: Mojo Ministries

Back in the 18^th Century, there was a young boy whose mother had died. So he decided to leave his home and follow his father to the sea. When he got out into the world, it didn’t take him long to start fitting in with the world. He became rebellious and hateful and did a lot of things he was ashamed of.

In his late teenage years, he got a job on a ship transporting slaves from England over into the New World. Now this was an evil young man, but just as Paul had a life changing experience on the Road to Damascus, this young man had a life changing experience onboard a slave ship.

At the age of 23, he was on a ship when a hurricane came up, and in the middle of this storm, he saw the ship being battered, he saw people going overboard, and that young man, in fear for his own life thought back to what his mother did when she had times of trouble – she prayed. So that young man cried out to God and asked God to save him, and as soon as he did, the storm ceased and God saved not only that young man, but everyone else on that boat.

About a decade later, this young man, at the age of 33, was called to pastor a church by another man named Charles Wesley. When he was preparing to preach his first sermon, he wanted to convey to the church what God had done in his life and the best way he could of to do that was through a song. And here are the words he spoke:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind, but now I see.

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fear relieves.

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come

And His grace has brought me safe thus far

And His grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there 10,000 years

Bright shinning as the sun

We’ve no less days to sing God’s grace

Than when we first begun!

John Newton wrote about the day he found God’s grace – and truly it is AMAZING GRACE!

That word “amazing” means “To fill with surprise or wonder.” Webster’s Dictionary defines grace as “Divine love and protection.”

In II Corinthians 12, Paul’s ministry is being questioned, so he begins to open-up his heart in this letter to the Church in Corinth. In Chapter 12 he really begins to focus in on the Provision of God.

In verse 7 he speaks of being given a “Thorn in the flesh.” A lot of people speculate what this thorn in the flesh was – maybe blindness, or sickness, or arthritis. Truth is, we really don’t know what his thorn might have been.

What we do know is that it Hurt Paul, it Hindered Paul in the ministry. So, Paul prayed three times that the LORD would remove his thorn in the flesh. But God said to Paul, “I not going to remove it, but I’m going to give you and added ingredient called “Grace.”

As a combat veteran, I have carried with me over the years a “thorn in my flesh” called PTSD – among other ailments. I have prayed and asked God to remove that thorn from me, but He hasn’t (and probably never will) – but what He has done is give me an extra ingredient – Grace. And I am so thankful this morning for God’s amazing grace!

IT’S AMAZING BECAUSE OF ITS AUTHOR (v.9a)

In verse 9 He says, “My Grace.” Paul wanted the church in Corinth to understand that Grace could only come from God Himself.

Paul didn’t need his friends grace – He needed God’s grace. Many people are seeking a lot of things in this world to fill that empty void in their life, but the only thing that can fill it is GRACE, GRACE, GOD’S GRACE!

I have a very good friend of mine that is probably 10 years younger than me. He used to be on fire for God, and years ago he turned his back on God. He has spent years trying to fill that void in his life, with drinking, with drugs – and he knows the only thing that will fill it – he just won’t turn it over to God. Sin has taken a heavy toil on his life and to see him you would think he is in his 70’s.

Listen to me this morning, you can search high and low trying to find something to fill the empty void in your life, but the only thing that can fill it come from Him – GRACE.

There was a young man that planned to go on a one-week fishing trip with his buddies, but a few days before they were going, he stepped on a piece of glass and cut his foot. He was wearing a pair of blue socks and the dye from the socks caused his foot to get infected. Back in those days, they didn’t have the antibiotics we have now. So while he was home, he decided to attend a revival service, since he didn’t have anything else to do. During that revival service, that young man gave his heart to Jesus. Who else could use a blue sock to bring someone to saving grace? That young man’s name was James Garfield – the 20^th President of the USA. And God goes out of His way to make sure we know GRACE comes from Him!

IT’S AMAZING BECAUSE OF ITS ABUNDANCE (v.9b)

“My grace is sufficient.” James 4:6 tells us that “he giveth more grace.” That word sufficient means “more than enough.” Aren’t you glad God gives us more than enough? That’s why God’s grace is so amazing – He provides me with more than enough and MORE THAN I DESERVE.

I’m reminded of a story of a family during the Depression Era. They were struggling and extremely poor. Every evening at dinner, the mother would set out a glass of milk, and on the glass, there were lines marked. Each member of the family would take a drink down to the next line and then they would pass it on to the next member of the family. The daughter got very sick one day and had to be admitted to the hospital. The first evening there, the nurse brought in a tray of food, with a big piece of cake and a full glass of milk. The little girl asked the nurse, “Where are the lines?” The nurse asked her what she meant. The little girl proceeded to tell her that in her house, they were so poor that they could only drink to the next line, then pass it on to the next family member.  With tears in her eyes, that nurse said, “Oh sweetie, don’t you worry about that here. There is more than enough to go around here. When you finish that glass, there’s more waiting.”

Isn’t that the way it is with God’s grace. Sometimes we feel like we are going to exhaust the grace of God and we drink and drink and drink, only to find that the grace just keeps on coming. God’s GRACE IS NOT ONLY ENOUGH – IT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH.

• God’s Grace was enough for Abraham when he was going to offer his son as a sacrifice – God provided a Ram. His grace and provision was more than enough!

• God’s Grace was sufficient for David when he picked up a stone and slew Goliath.

• God’s grace was more than enough for Elijah when he called down the fire of heaven on Mt. Carmel and sucked up the sacrifice.

And I’m telling you this morning, God’s grace is more than enough for if you will just trust in His Amazing Grace!

God’s Grace is Amazing because of its Author and its Abundance, But

IT’S AMAZING BECAUSE OF IT’S APPLICANT (v.9c)

“My grace is sufficient for thee.” Let me replace that word with my name, or with your name. In fact, on the count of 3, let all say this verse together and replace that word “THEE” with your name. Ready, 1, 2 , 3 – “My grace is sufficient for JOE MOORE.”

Listen, no matter what your need is this morning, God’s Grace is Sufficient for you! It is more than enough FOR YOU.

I Peter 5:10 says “He is the God of all grace.” No matter what the need is, God has the grace to cover that need. Because God’s Grace is:

• Amazing Grace
• Abounding Grace
• Believing Grace
• Beautiful Grace
• Comforting Grace
• Cleansing Grace
• Delivering Grace
• Dying Grace
• Enduring Grace
• Everlasting Grace
• Free Grace
• Far reaching Grace
• Guarding Grace
• Guiding Grace
• Humbling Grace
• Helping Grace
• Infinite Grace
• Impartial Grace
• Justifying Grace
• Joyful Grace
• Keeping Grace
• Loving Grace
• Longsuffering Grace
• Matchless Grace
• Miraculous Grace
• New Grace
• Never ending Grace
• Overcoming Grace
• Overwhelming Grace
• Providing Grace
• Protecting Grace
• Quickening Grace
• Redeeming Grace
• Righteous Grace
• Saving Grace
• Sustaining Grace
• Supernatural Grace
• Timely Grace
• True Grace
• Underserving Grace
• Understanding Grace
• Victorious Grace
• Wonderful Grace
• Words You Can’t Explain Grace
• There’s no words for X so it’s X-Citing Grace
• Yielding Grace
• Zealous Grace

No matter what your need is this morning, He has the A-Z Grace to cover you Hallelujah! Can somebody say AMEN right there? God’s grace will be there when you need it.

When you really boil down Grace, it simply means God’s Riches At Christ Expense. Dying alone on that hill, He gave us GRACE. I can’t explain it, but I think John Newton got about as close to describing it as you can by writing: 

AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND

THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME

I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW I’M FOUND

WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE.

Let me begin this morning by thanking you all for joining us in celebrating our 2^nd anniversary. I believe that I can confidently say, two years ago, I never dreamed that we, as a church, would be where we are today. Looking back over these past few years, we certainly have a lot to thank Him For.

Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth, reserves chapter 15 to specifically deal with some issues that had risen. Mainly, the issue of the Resurrection of Christ. You see, if the Greeks had a problem understanding the crucifixion of Christ, they would definitely have a problem dealing with the Resurrection of Christ.

So, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth to remind them that the message he is sharing now is the same message he shared at the very beginning – the message hasn’t change. Can I say this morning, the message that we began to share here at Rally Point Biker Church is the same message today that it was 2 years ago when we began – LOVE GOD AND LOVE EACH OTHER – and that message hasn’t changed.

Chapter 15 Paul is making what is probably the strongest case for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in all the Bible. Then, after talking about death and the sting of death, Paul finishes with these words, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore (because of that, in light of that), my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

 Paul has decided that he is going to give all the thanks to the LORD from whom the victory over death, hell, and the grave come from.

Listen, you and I certainly need to give God thanks for the things He is going to do – in our lives, in the life of our church, and we can do that through faith – But we also need to give God thanks for the things He’s already done in our lives. Truth is, if He never does another thing for me, He has already done more for me than I ever deserved. So, I’m going to thank God for what He has done, regardless whether or not He does anything else.

If God never blesses me again, if he never does another thing for me, I get to stand up here this morning and say, “I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR.”

WE’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK GOD FOR BECAUSE THE STORY  NEVER CHANGES (v.1)

Paul says in verse 1, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.”

Over the past 2 years, we’ve had some things change. The size of our crowd has changed; our seating arrangement has changed; Our sound equipment has changed; the place our kids learn has changed; Our music changes from time to time; the way we conduct the services has changed.

But do you know what hasn’t changed?

The story of Jesus Christ NEVER changes

How the perfect, sinless Son of God was born of a virgin, came to bear my sins and your sins on Calvary’s Cross, how He suffered, and bleed and died for your and I, and how He rose from the grave on the third day with victory over death hell and the grave and is now at the right hand of the Father where He makes intercession for you and I THAT NEVER CHANGES.

The Word of God NEVER Changes

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my Words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

God NEVER Changes

“For I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Paul is saying to the church in Corinth, “This is the message we are declaring to you, this is the message we are standing on.” Two years down the road – that’s the message Rally Point Biker Church is standing on.

WE’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR BECAUSE HE STILL REIGNS (V25)

I look at all the struggle and trials, and heartache our church has been through over the past two years and the one thing I realize is there is nothing that has happened in the life of our church, in my life or in your life that has caught God off guard. Nothing has caught Him by surprise.

You know why? Because He is still on His throne! Verse 25 says, “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”

The Bible tells us that “Heaven is His throne, and earth is His foot stool.” I can picture my dad years ago when He come home from a long day of work. He’d sit in his favorite chair and throw his legs up on the footstool. At that point of his day, my daddy didn’t have a care in the world.

So when I think about God sitting on His throne and His feet kicked up on the earth, He doesn’t have a care in the world – He’s got this! He has you and I in His hand and we have nothing to worry about – HE IS IN CONTROL – HE REIGNS!

But that is hard for us to get a grip on though isn’t it, because we won’t to take care of everything on our own. One lesson I have learned in my life is that you can’t always take care of it; you can’t always fix it; you can’t always pull yourself up by the boot laces – BUT GOD CAN.

WE’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR BECAUSE WHETHER WE LIVE OR WE DIE – GOD HAS IT ALL UNDER CONTROL (V. 51-56)

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”

John 14 Jesus tells us, “I go to prepare for place for you,” How many of you believe that to be true?  And then He said, “If I go to prepare a place for you, then I WILL come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.”

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR

WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND SEE

THE GOOD THINGS HE DOES FOR ME

I KNOW I’M UNWORTHY OF THEM ALL.

FOR HIS BLESSINGS HE FREELY GIVES

I OWE MY LIFE TO HIM

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR.

CHORUS

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR

SO MUCH TO PRAISE HIM FOR

YOU SEE HE HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME

AND WHEN I THINK OF WHAT HE’S DONE

AND WHERE HE BROUGHT ME FROM

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR

SOMETIMES WHILE ON THIS WAY

I KNEEL TO STOP AND SAY

THANK YOU LORD FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE FOR ME.

ONE DAY I’LL REACH SWEET HEAVEN’S SHORE

OH PLEASE LET ME KNEEL ONCE MORE

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR.

Turn your Bibles with me if you will, and by the way, do you realize that when we open the Bible, we open the very mind of God.  So let’s see what God has to say to us from Romans 8:28, and while you are turning there, let me remind you:

Now Romans 8:28 is a very familiar passage of Scripture. And I want to ask you to stand with me, and let’s read this out loud together.  Romans 8:28 says:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  ALL MIXED UP.  Let’s Pray:

Back when I was attending Bible College outside of Raliegh, North Carolina, Jennifer was about 12 or 13 years old and Josh was around 8 or 9, we used to have some really bad winters.  And since we lived out in a rural area called Corinth Holder, we would get snowed in for 3 to 4 days at a time before they could clear our roads.  That was good for the kids because they got to stay home from school, and being a college student, I learned to appreciate those days as well.  At the time, we had an old 1983 Jeep CJ7, and we loved that thing.  We had a big ole 10 acre yard behind our house, so the kids would take the jeep and drive it around this field – it was a blast.

But this one day, me and Jenni and Josh were out driving around in about a ft. and a half of snow like we had good sense, and as we’re driving along, a car up in front of me hit it’s brakes and began sliding sideways down the road.  And I was immediately confronted by 2 choices:  1) I could move to the right side of the road where there was a big ditch and take the chance of not slipping into the ditch, or 2) I could just ease on my brakes and hope for the best.  So, I thought about it, and I thought about it, and thought about it some more (which ended up being about a half a second), I decided to hit my brakes.  Well, that didn’t go quite work-out the way I planned it.  When I hit the brakes, my jeep took off like a rocket – straight for that ditch.  We slipped down into that ditch and slide a little ways, and when we stopped, the jeep just turned completely upside down.

Now Josh was in the front with me, and Jennifer was in the back seat – hanging upside down unable to unstrap herself from her belt buckle.  After Josh and I stopped laughing at Jenni, we got her unbuckled.  We all climbed out and while we are standing there in the snow, looking at our jeep turned upside down, Josh says to me, like any 9 year old would, “Dad, I don’t think any good can come of this.”  I told him like any self-respecting father would, “Hush your mouth boy, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”  Then after walking around the Jeep and surveying the situation, I said to myself, “I don’t think any good can come of this.”

Have you ever stood in the middle of a storm—your heart broken, your mind racing, your life seemingly turned upside down—and said something like:

“I know Romans 8:28 is in the Bible, but I can’t see how any good can come from this storm.”

“This tragedy doesn’t look like it’s working together for anything but pain.”

“This valley is too deep, this sickness too cruel—how can any of this be good?”

Let’s be honest—sometimes life feels like it’s just all mixed up.

Nothing’s in the right place. Nothing’s working like it should. And even though you know what the Word says, you still wonder:

“God… how can You possibly make something good out of this?”

Romans 8:28 is one of the most beloved verses in the Bible…

But this morning, I want to suggest that it’s also one of the most misunderstood, misquoted, and misapplied.

Because Romans 8:28 doesn’t say that everything is good. It doesn’t say that God prevents us from walking through the valley, facing the storm, or carrying the weight. But it does say that when God gets involved—when His hands are in the mix—He can take what feels broken, painful, and confusing… and He can mix it all together for something good.

So today, under the title “All Mixed Up,” I want to take a fresh look at this powerful promise. And I believe there is enough truth and strength in this one verse to bring peace to your chaos and purpose to your pain.

There are three divine aspects of Romans 8:28 I want you to see this morning—because even when life feels all mixed up, God is still in control of the outcome.

I SEE A FAITHFUL PROMISE – “AND WE KNOW . . .”

There were 2 Greek words translated in the New Testament as the word “KNOW.”

First, there was the word “Genosko,” which means “to come to know; to get to know, to gradually know.”

And Secondly, there was the word “I-Do,” which represents the force or power of knowing something. 

• “To be persuaded of truth;”
• “To know without the need of understanding;”
• “To know without the need of explanation.”

Strangely enough, these two words and often been used in the same verse throughout the New Testament.  For example, in John chapter 13, Jesus has laid aside His garments, and has a basin of water, He has girded His loins with a towel and He approaches Simon Peter.  When He does, Simon Peter asked a question:

“Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”  Jesus said, “What I do now, thou knowest (I-DO) not;  You don’t fully understand what I am doing, but thou shalt know (Genosko) hereafter.”

“You don’t understand now – but you will.”  “Eventually, you’re going to know.”

Now the word that Paul uses here is in the strongest form of the Greek word KNOW.  “AND WE KNOW”

He was fully persuaded;

He knew, even though he didn’t understand;

He knew, even though he couldn’t explain it.

Paul said, “I may not understand all things, I cannot explain all things, but I KNOW that all things work together for the good to them that love God.”  IT IS A FAITHFUL PROMISE.  There’s a lot of things I don’t understand

• I don’t understand why some people have so much while others have so little;
• I don’t understand why some are always sick, while others are rarely sick;
• I can’t explain why some people have to die so young, while others live a good long life.

I may not know it and I may not can explain it, BUT “I know that all things . . . “

Not only do we see a Faithful Promise, but notice with me:

I SEE A FRUITFUL PROCESS

“And we know that all things work together FOR GOOD . . .”

One reason that we have so much trouble understanding Romans 8:28 and accepting Romans 8:28 is because we want the verse to say “ALL THINGS ARE GOOD.”  But that’s not what it says.

When bad things happen in our lives, we look at Romans 8:28 and we just don’t understand.

The Bible does not say that ALL THINGS ARE GOOD.

When you follow a loved one to a grave – that’s not good;

When the doctor gives you devastating news – that’s not good;

The Bible doesn’t say that “All things are good,” It says “All things work together FOR GOOD.”

In the manufacturing of medications (and I’m sure some of you know this better than I do), did you know there was a process to making medications?  They take just a small portion of the actual medicine, and they mix it with a lot of other medicines.  They say that if you took the entire dose of a particular medicine, your body couldn’t take it – this is called “cutting it.”  But, when you mix it up and dilute it with other medicines, it is good for you.

Listen to me now:  If that one storm; If that one trial; If that one tragedy Was all there was, it would be too much for us. We couldn’t handle it.

• But I’m glad that with our storms – God adds peace!
• I’m glad that with my valleys – God adds some Mountaintops;
• I’m glad with with my tragedies – God gives some triumphs;
• I’m glad that with my sorrow – God gives some joy;
• I’m glad that in my darkness – God gives some light.

When it’s all mixed together, when it all “Works together,” It “works together for good.”

Church, we have to understand that it is a Fruitful Process.

You know what, I don’t like Raw eggs, and I don’t like raw dow; and I don’t like eating plain sugar, and I don’t like drinking vanilla flavor out of the bottle – BUT, when you mix it all together, give me a call, cause I sure like eating cake AMEN!

“All things work together for good.”  Now let’s take it a step further.  We saw the Faithful Promise, the Fruitful Process, now let’s look at:

I SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS PURPOSE.”

I have known this verse for as long as I can remember.  I have studied it, I have preached on it, but sitting in my room a few weeks ago, I was reading this verse, and when I got to the part that says, “To them that are called according to HIS PURPOSE.” That word PURPOSE just jumped off the pages at me.  And I began to ask myself, “What is God’s ultimate purpose for my life?”  What is His ultimate purpose for your life?

Now don’t miss this:

If you look at verse 29, you will notice that it begins with a little 3 letter word – FOR.  That word FOR is a conjunction.  Conjunctions are words that connect words, or sentences, or paragraphs or phrases.

This little word FOR takes verse 28 by the hand and then it takes verse 29 by the hand and it joins them together.  And since verse 29 begins with that word FOR – we really cannot understand verse 28 without knowing something about verse 29.  SO, I want everybody to join hands, now I’m gonna get right in the middle here and I want the right side of the church to be verse 28 and I want the left side of the church to be verse 29.  Right side read verse 28:  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Now left side read verse 29:  “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Now, let me tell you what that means.  God had only 2 Sons.  What I mean by that is that there were only two men that ever walked the face of the earth that were not born of woman.

In Luke chapter 3, we find a listing of genealogies.  It says that so-in-so begat so-in-so, and so-on and so-on.  Then down at the bottom it says, “Adam, He was the son of God.“

Adam was the CREATED Son of God.  Everything we see here today was spoken into existence – except man!

“God formed man with His own hands; He formed us from the dust of the earth and breath into our nostrils the breath of life and we became a living soul.”

And by the way, things that are always the most costly are the things that are hand-made!

God said, “Let us form man in our own likeness, in our own image.”  The words image and likeness mean to “mirror” or the “reflect.”

GOD CREATED MAN TO REFLECT WHO HE IS!  And God said, “This was very good.”  And do you know why?  Because when God looked at man, He saw Himself. 

But you know the story, man fell into sin.  God came into the Garden and could no longer see Himself and He knew something has died.

But remember, there’s another Son.  And that is the “Only Begotten Son.”  The Second Adam, the Final Adam.  His name is Jesus Christ and He was everything God intended for man to be.

God created man for the purpose of reflecting who HE was.  Jesus was everything God intended Him to be to the extent that He could say, “when you see me, you see the Father.”

No wonder when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River the Bible says, the Heaven’s open and a voice descended from Heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

In fact, God was so pleased with Jesus that He said, “I’m gonna make all my children just like Him.”  “That He might be the first-born among you.”

But how is God doing that?  How is God conforming us to the image of His Son? 

By using “ALL THINGS.”

The “Good” in verse 28 is not talking about being happy, or healthy, or wealthy, it’s talking about conforming you to the image of God’s Son.

That means that God is orchestrating all things in our lives:

• The good things;
• The bad things;
• The things we understand;
• The things we don’t understand;
• The things we can explain;
• The things we can’t explain.

God is orchestrating, He is conforming us to the image of His Son through the events in our lives.

It is said that when a great artist paints a picture, he starts by painting the insignificants parts first.  You can look at the painting and it doesn’t make any sense to us – and that’s the way life seems sometimes, it just doesn’t make sense to us.  But to the artist, he knows where he’s going, so He paints on.

They say that a truly great artist has the ability to work his mistakes into the painting.  When an artist makes a mistake, he doesn’t try to erase the mistake, he just works it into the painting.

Now we know that our Heavenly Father doesn’t make mistakes – BUT WE DO.  And I’m glad this morning that my Heavenly Father has a way of working all my mistakes into the picture of my life.

I’m glad that when the vessel was marred, the Potter didn’t throw the vessel away.  I’m glad our Heavenly Artist just keeps painting!

You see, God is painting a picture of His Son in our lives.

God is taking all the bad things that have happened in your life, all the pain and all the disappointment, all the failure – and He is mixing them together and painting a picture of His Son in your life.

In closing, look quickly at verse 31:  “What shall we then say to these things:

• The good things
• The bad things
• The things we don’t understand;
• The things we can’t explain.

“If God be for us, who can be against us? 32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 37  Nay, in all these things (WHAT THINGS? ALL THINGS) we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Verse 28 and 29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Will you stand with me with every head bowed and every eye closed, nobody looking around please.  I want to ask you this morning:

• Maybe you are in a valley that you don’t understand;
• Maybe you’re in a trial you don’t understand;
• Maybe you faced some tragedy you don’t understand;
• Maybe you’ve had some failures that you don’t understand.

Maybe you haven’t asked God with your lips, but with your heart you’ve cried out to Him – GOD WHY?

God is using that trial in your life, whether you understand it or not, whether you can explain it or not – He is using your needs to conform you to the image of His Son.

Maybe you just need to come and gather around the altar, and talk to God about the things that are going on in your life.

Maybe there are some things that have happened in your life in the past that have made you angry, and bitter, and hard-hearted.  Maybe you felt those things were so bad that God can’t forgive you.  Friend, God is using those failures to paint a picture of His Son in your life.   

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth on Him, so not perish, but have everlasting life;  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him, might be saved.”

God loves you, all you have to do is accept that.  Want you come this morning and kneel at the altar and ask Christ into your heart?  You were made in His image for a reason.

“What shall we more say to these things:  If God be for us, who can be against us!”

Each year we observe a National Day of Prayer. It is good that we observe a day where the nation collectively prays together. But, you know what would be even more wonderful, if each day were a day of prayer. The apostle Paul said we are to “Pray without ceasing.”

This morning, I am interested in the prayer that Paul prayed for the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse. He was in prison as he prayed for the Colossians. He didn’t pray that he might be released, for healing from his infirmity, or that Jerusalem be freed from the Romans. In fact, he didn’t even pray for those who needed Christ. Now, he had a burden for lost souls, but his focus was on the church. He wasn’t in any way insinuating that those other needs aren’t important, but rather emphasizing the significance of prayer for the church. Most of the prayers he offers are for the church. 

A strong church will lead to a strong nation. A local body in tune with the Lord will reach lost souls. The greatest needs of our day could be influenced tremendously by the church if we were only where God desires us to be. Simply put, we need to pray for each other. 

I want to challenge you to pray each day for a specific individual within our church. Let the Spirit guide you as you begin to pray, individually, for the members of Fellowship. Using Paul’s prayer as a guide, I’m certain that we could see a tremendous difference around Fellowship if we would only commit to pray. The text reveals three areas that we need to pray about for each other: 

THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE WILL OF GOD (v9)

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

Paul prayed that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. We must be filled to the brim, fully equipped. This isn’t simply knowing God’s will but allowing His will to completely saturate our lives so that nothing within our lives is contrary to His will.

We must look at the “big picture”, not just a few things, but every area of life. All that we do must be according to God’s will. Living according to God’s will involves both wisdom and understanding. As we pray for individuals, we must pray that they:

Obtain Wisdom

He prayed that they had all wisdom. Clearly Paul isn’t referring to knowing all things as God does but obtaining godly wisdom to deal with the issues of life.

Many of life’s problems are the result of a lack of wisdom. This leads to poor choices and difficult circumstances. We all need God’s wisdom in our lives. We will never be what He expects us to be apart from it. 

You don’t have to be a Harvard grad to obtain spiritual wisdom. In fact, we would probably do well to possess less intellect and more intercession to obtain wisdom. How do I handle this problem? What would God have me to do? We’ll never know without wisdom. We are obligated to pray for those who need wisdom in making proper decisions (leaders, youth, young adults, parents, etc.). Wisdom isn’t obtained through the world, but in prayer, Bible study, and the Spirit revealing truth to us. 

Applying Understanding

We need a spiritual understanding, literally a mental “putting together – putting into action.” Life requires that we take the truth we’ve learned, put the pieces together, and apply that truth to our lives. 

We need to pray for the ability to apply God’s wisdom, actually put it into action. We will never be able to fully understand all that God is doing, but we must learn to trust and obey His will. I’m no auto mechanic, but I do know this key will start my vehicle and it will take me down the road. I don’t fully understand how all that works, but I do know enough to get where I need to go. 

Our spiritual lives are no different. I don’t know what all God is doing “under the hood”, but I do know He’ll get me where I need to go! Take the key of understanding you’ve been given and go for God. Recognize the Will of God.

Secondly, Paul prayed:

THAT WE WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD (V10)

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

He prayed that the Colossians would walk pleasing unto the Lord, being a testimony for Jesus. We certainly need to pray that prayer for each other. 

We no longer live in a Christian society. Everyone we meet and know isn’t a Christian. Much of what they know about the Lord and His church is read from the book of our lives. Our day desperately needs those who will walk worthy. This involves three things:

Our Pattern (v.10a)

 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.”

Our walk is to glorify Christ. Our life should be a reflection what Jesus has done for us and the change that has taken place; we’re no longer the same!

The word walk means to “set our lives, all of it, after Christ.” The word worthy means “to have the weight of or weigh as much as something else.” So, our walk should weigh as much as the walk of Christ. That’s a sobering thought! We are to live as He did. 

This will never happen in a carnal Christian. We must be totally submitted to God. I need the prayers of God’s people to walk worthy and you do too! I can’t live that life within myself. As we pray for each other, pray that God would guide our steps. Pray that we live according to the pattern Jesus set for us. 

Our Production (v.10b)

“being fruitful in every good work.”

Paul also prayed that they be fruitful in every good work. He was praying that God would open doors of opportunity for them and that they would have the boldness and dedication to pass through them. 

How many lost people came through our doors lately crying out that they needed to be saved? You see, praying for the lost is good, but praying for fruitful Christians is better. Jesus saw the field ready for harvest, but He didn’t pray for the field:

Matt.9:38, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

If we really want to see souls saved, pray for fruitful Christians. Pray for those who are witnessing and inviting them to come.

Eph.2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

Rom.10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Our Progression (V.10c)

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

He also prayed that their walk would result in an increased knowledge of God. He wanted them to know God on a deeper level, growing spiritually in Christ. There is no better way to grow in the Lord than through a daily walk with Him. It is then that we learn to fellowship with Him, trust Him in trials, learn Him, and love Him more! May we pray that our church, beginning with individuals will mature in Christ. 

St. Augustine said, “Faith is understanding’s step, and understanding is faith’s reward.”

Each of us needs to grow daily. I challenge you to pray that we will develop a deeper relationship with Christ. I pray that we will abandon the shallow water and dive into the deep things of God. We all need a closer walk, growing spiritually. Let’s make that an object of prayer.

Recognize the Will of God

Walk Worthy of the Lord

THAT WE POSSESS THE POWER OF GOD (V11)

“Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”

Lastly, Paul prayed that they might be strengthened with all might according to God’s power. We serve the God of all power. He created the universe and mankind. He is able to part seas, defeat armies, heal disease, and raise the dead. 

These are all great manifestations of His awesome power, but we have that same power within us! He can take a life of wickedness, anger, and hatred and create a life of righteousness, joy, and compassion. That is a God thing! We need the power of God in our lives. We need those who are emboldened to stand for Him; those, who through His power, become an effective witness. Our lives will be void and ineffective without God’s power. It produces:

Patience

This is endurance when circumstances are difficult. Patience doesn’t accept defeat; it is endurance in action. It doesn’t sit idly by waiting on God or someone else to achieve something. 

It is the soldier who endures the battle, seeking complete victory. It is the runner enduring the hardships of the race seeking the finish. It is the Christian who will not accept the lies of this world and believe that all hope is lost.

 Longsuffering

 We need God’s power for patience. – This is possessing self-restraint. Where patience deals with circumstances, longsuffering deals with people. It allows us to overlook their faults and differences, loving them as Christ does, seeing them as Christ sees them. 

It doesn’t give up on a man just because he doesn’t act or behave as we think he should. It is a spirit of fellowship and compassion for all, even those who may have wronged us. We need that kind of spirit in the church today.

Joyfulness

I think you would agree that many have lost their joy. The difficulties and circumstances of life have left them feeling defeated and desperate. There is joy in serving the Lord. They just need to rediscover His joy in their lives.  

Happiness is dependent on circumstances, but joy remains even in the midnight hour. We need to pray for those who need to have their joy restored. 

CONCLUSION

I know that we’ve taken a different approach to prayer than usual, but this is biblical. I promise you, if we commit to pray this prayer for each other, we will see a difference in our church. 

I trust that you will begin to pray this prayer daily for a specific individual in our church. During the hymn of invitation, I want us to begin praying this prayer together. I’m sure there is someone within our church that the Spirit has touched your heart to pray for. Let’s pray together for these in need.

This is the time of year when students are either graduating, moving up grades, or finishing another tough year of school. It’s a season of reflection and transition. So, this Sunday, rather than giving you a deep theological message, I will simply share some life lessons—things God has taught me since I graduated high school back in 1981. Some of these lessons came through failure, others through time, and all of them through God’s grace.

John Adams said this: “There are two types of education: The one that teaches us how to make a living, and the one that teaches us how to live.”

Now, I’ll tell you, I learned from school how to make a living. But I have learned from God how to live.

LIFE IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME

Romans 8:8 says, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” The first lesson I’ve learned is that life is not all about me.

Now I went to high school at Hartsville High School. We were just a small school in Darlington County, and when I left high school and joined the Army, nobody cared at all what High School I went to, nobody cared what sports I played, or even what my GPA was. Life was no longer all about me.

What I learned early on is that when I started to depend on ME – I failed, and I usually failed miserably. And do you know why? BECAUSE LIFE WAS NOT ABOUT ME!

FAILURE WAS NOT THE END, IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING

The second lesson I learned was that Failure was not the end, it was only the beginning. Verse 4 says, “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

What I have learned is that after I have failed many, many times in this life (and will probably fail more), if I could simply learn to walk after the Spirit – God is going to take care me.

But there were things I had to learn, things I had to learn from experience. I’ve heard it said that “Experience is the greatest teacher.” God has allowed me fail, and to go through some very difficult things in my life, I believe just to show me that I needed Him more than I ever needed Him before.

I can tell you I have made some mistakes as a pastor. I look back over a certain period of my life when I would preach that if you didn’t dress a certain way, act a certain way, or use a certain version of the Bible, you probably weren’t saved. That was a perfect example of me following after the flesh and not after the spirit.

But, God allowed me to fail, and through my failure, God has shown me how much I needed Him. So listen, when I see people fail, I try not to be too hard on them, you know why? Because Failure is not the end, it’s only the beginning.

Listen to me, if you walk after the flesh – you will fail. I’ll tell you folks, if you follow after the Spirit, the Spirit will not lead you to places where you will fail.

Let’s learn to get back up and wipe ourselves off and realize Failure is not the end, it’s only the beginning!

I WILL NEVER BE A RETIRED SOLDIER

I loved the Army. It was very good to me and for me. I rose to be one of the finest trained soldiers in the Army. But something I realized after 14 years, spending my life chasing after a career in the military, was not in my best interest. And the sooner I realized it, the sooner I could get on to be all that God intended me to be.

Verse 6 says, “To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES

Verse 14 says, “For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

When I first attended Bible College, I really felt back then that God was calling me to be an Evangelist. While I Bible College, I was selected to be part of a team that travelled all over Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virgina Evangelizing church and camp meetings. That had to be the will of God right?

But something I learned on that trip is that God’s plan for my life was not to travel all over the country – His plan was for me to be a pastor, a preacher of the Gospel to a local church. So, not every opportunity that comes your way is the opportunity God has designed and planned for your life.

THE ONE CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE

The one thing I have learned since graduation is that the One Constant Thing Is Change. You and I are to be conformed into the image of Christ. That means that we are constantly changing. I can tell you for a certainty that I do not look the same as I did when I was in High School. I don’t look the same, I don’t think the same – I have changed. I can also tell you that churches have changed. But you know who hasn’t changed? God hasn’t changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

THE THINGS I THOUGHT I NEEDED, I REALLY DIDN’T NEED AT ALL

Kim and I just moved recently, and in our garage are boxes and boxes full of stuff that at one time we thought we needed, only to discover we really didn’t need that stuff at all.

There was a time I thought I needed the big jobs and the big paychecks, only to realize all I really needed was God and my family. So I have learned the things I thought I really needed, were not the things I needed after all.

SOMETIMES IT TAKES 30 YEARS TO GO 120 MILES

I have pastored churches in Scranton, Lake City, Poston’s Corner, Lancaster and Spartanburg, only to discover that for the first time in my ministry, I’m right where God was developing me to be all along, right here in the woods of Pauline.

If you would have asked me when I left Bible College in 1995 where I would be in 30 years, Pauline South Carolina was not even on my radar. God had to spend 30 years preparing me to be the pastor of this church. If God would have brought me here 30 years ago, I couldn’t have been effective. He had to train me for 30 years.

It just reminds me that verse 28 says, “And we know that all things work together for the good of them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

I’M IN CLASS, JUST NOT IN SCHOOL

God is teaching me new things every day. One writer said, “You’ve earned some respect; you’ve sharpened your edge, but don’t fly off the handle of life, but keep the edge, and many adults loose their cutting edge because they stop learning the lessons of life.”

A BABY CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Verse 3 says, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”

I found out when Jenni and Josh were born, that kids can change your life. It changed my Dad’s life. My dad used to call and ask how I was doing. But after Jenni and Josh were born, he’d call and ask how the babies were doing. Children change your life.

But I also found out there is another baby who can change your life forever. That’s God’s son, who came to earth, took on the form of a man so that He could bear my sin and your sin on Calvary’s Cross. He paid a debt that you and I owed, so that where He is, there we can be also.

A Baby can change your life!

FINALLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON I HAVE LEARNED SINCE HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT HIM

Verses 31-33, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”

Introduction:  As you are turning to The Book of Nehemiah, let me say that this is one of my favorite Books in all the Bible.  After the walls of Jerusalem “laid in waste” for a hundred years, and the “Gates thereof were burned with fire,” Nehemiah shows us how one man can make a difference in the work of God.  I want you to understand some things about Nehemiah:

• Nehemiah was one of the exiled Jews;
• He was not a prophet;
• He was not a priest;
• He was not an Engineer;
• He was not a Mason.
• He was simply the King’s Cupbearer.

But, Nehemiah was a man of conviction and determination and he was able to accomplish in 52 days what the children of Israel were not able to accomplish in 100 years.  Nehemiah, after hearing how the walls laid in waste, mourned in his heart and prayed to God that He would forgive him and his family for their sins.  He then went to the King and asked him to allow him to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.

In chapter 2, verses 17 and 18, Nehemiah takes his petition before the people and says:

^“17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.¹⁸ Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”

In Chapter Three, God gives us a recorded record of those that were a part of this great work of rebuilding the walls.  You see folks, I believe everything you do for God – God takes notice of!  Then we come to Chapter four, and stand with me as we read Nehemiah 4:1-6.  Let’s Pray and I will share the message People With a Mind to Work!

The people of God, realizing that Nehemiah meant business Got behind him and he was able to get them to do what they hadn’t done for nearly 100 years.  He was determined to build the walls of Jerusalem – but understand me – his determination to rebuild the walls didn’t come without opposition.  And you can rest assured church, whenever we determine in our hearts to do something for God – you can rest assured it will not come without opposition either!

And listen folks – it will not take long for that opposition to come either.  In Nehemiah chapter 2:19, the Bible says, “But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?”

Chapter 4:1, says, “ But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.”

As soon as they HEARD it they began to mock the people of God.  When they heard what Nehemiah was going to do, they got made – but when it actually looked like he was going to accomplish the work – they got VERY ANGRY.

Satan doesn’t wait around for a great work to be accomplished before he begins his attack – he starts at the beginning in order to do maximum damage.

Do you know that one of Satan’s greatest tools is? Scorn – contempt and ridicule.  That is because these don’t require proof for an attack.  To mock the work of God doesn’t require FACTS.

The sad thing is though, evil is never content alone – it always has to seek others to take with it!  In Verse 2, Sanballat spread his brand of wickedness to as many as he could, as many as would hear him.  He started gathering up his supporters behind the scenes.

Nehemiah faced opposition from Outside the Camp, but he also faced opposition inside the camp.

What I want you to realize today is that I believe Rally Point Biker Church is doing a Great Work for God – am I’m telling you now, it has not come without opposition from outside and inside.

I even think we are going to do an even greater work.  But we need to understand right up front, the greater our success, the greater opposition we are going to face.

• The more you do for God – the more opposition you’re going to face;
• The greater the work you do – the more harassed you’ll be by the enemies of God’s work.

As a church, we are going to face our fair share of Sanballat’s that will say:

• You’re not educated enough;
• You’re not strong enough;
• You’re not experienced enough;
• You’re not rich enough;
• No one is behind you.

But understand with me this morning Rally Point Biker Church – Sometimes our greatest difficulties can become our greatest Blessing!

And the way we get to those blessings is by doing what the people of God did – we have to develop a MIND TO WORK! That term “mind to work” actually means in the Hebrew “Heart to work.”  Nehemiah and the people of God “Had a heart for the work.”

Folks, having a “mind to work” will UNITE us as a church – not DIVIDE us! And because they had a “Mind to Work,” I want you to notice:

1. THEY BUILT THE WALL (V6). “So built we the wall”

Too often what we find in the churches of today is that when opposition comes, Many say “So, we quit.”  But not a person that has a “mind to work!”  Their athem is “So, built we the wall.”

• In spite of the opposition outside;
• In spite of the opposition inside;
• In spite of the anger of others;
• In spite of the ridicule from others;
• In spite of the mockings.

The people of God kept their hand to the plow and just kept working.  They did not let anything deter them from the work of God.  The best way to defeat the enemy is to continue in the work.

1. THEY BUILT THE WALL BY PRAYER (V.4-6, 9).

Over and over again we find that Nehemiah was a praying man – He prayed about everything.  But in Chapter 4, Nehemiah’s prayer is not a prayer we typically hear someone pray.  I know the New Testament says that we are to “pray those that despitefully use you,” and we are to “love those that hate us.”  However, sometimes folks, we have a pray a prayer like Nehemiah.  Notice what Nehemiah prayed in these verses:

• Turn their reproach upon their head;
• Give them for a prey in the land of captivity;
• Cover not their iniquity;
• Let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee;
• For they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

1. THEY BUILT THE WALL TOGETHER (V6). “So built WE the wall”

Have you ever heard the term “strength in numbers?”  That simply means that you and I can do more together than we can do alone.  Brother Dennis and I were talking a few days ago and I heard him say “There ain’t no “I” in team.”  And that is a fact.  The building of God’s work is not about a single person here – it is about the Lord.  And you and I will accomplish more together than we will ever accomplish alone.  The people “Joined TOGETHER the wall.”  CHURCH – if we don’t do the work God has given us individually, there will be gaps in the wall.

1. THEY BUILT THE WALL WITH A WILLINGNESS TO DO WHATEVER THEY HAD TO (V9, 16-18).

You see, they knew that the enemy of the work of God was “Very Angry,” Yet in verse 9 Nehemaih says something at the beginning of the verse that everyone of us should say when adversity comes – NEVERTHELESS. 

Nehemiah prayed “Unto our God,”  Then he “Set a watch.”  The people of God then set about doing the work of God.  They had a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.  Half the people would work and the other half would stand guard. 

Folks, there are some times in your Christian life that you are going to half to fight.  It is not going to all be a “flowery bed of ease.” 

You are going to be tried;

You are going to be tested;

Folks, we need to put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD and be prepared to do battle for the LORD.  We need to “earnestly contend for the faith.”

• THEY BUILT THE WALL BY TRUSTING GOD (V.20)

In verse 14, Nehemiah reminds the people, “Be not afraid of them – REMEMBER the Lord.”  In Verse 20, he says, “Our God shall fight for us.”

Fear is a potent weapon of the enemy – but folks, I remind you today “If God before us – WHO CAN BE AGAINST US!  Church, we are on the winning side!

CONCLUSION:  I am afraid that we have created a mentality of welfare in our society today.  We have taught people that they don’t need to do anything – just simply rely on the government.  And so, we are now a nation in debt – because we have taught to NOT have “a mind to work.” 

Unfortunately, to often that mentality trickles over into the church.  We expect the preacher or staff to do everything.  But I want you to understand this morning, if Rally Point Biker Church is going to do a great work for God, it will be because we as a people had a “MIND OT WORK.”

. 

I believe that you and I, as a child of God, our to “Meet people where they are and help them get to where God wants them to be,”  Now, if we truly believe that we are to meet people where they are and help them to get to where God wants them to be, then we have to assume God has a place that he wants each of us to be. This morning I want to speak on this simple thought “Getting to the Place God Wants You to be.”  Reading from Ezekiel Chapter 20 and verse 6, God’s Word says,

“In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:”

The words “into a land that I had espied for them,” literally means “a land that was selected by God Himself. A Land that God Himself caught sight of.”  I believe God is taking us somewhere, and if He is taking us somewhere, He’s going to help us get there AMEN. 

As I think about the children of Israel and what they must have felt when God led them out of bondage from Egypt and led them to the Promised-land, and I couldn’t help this evening but to think that:

• We can rejoice over what God has done to get us where we are today;
• And we can look forward to the place that He is taking us.

And I think what we are really talking here is the Sovereignty of God, the leadership of God.  So let me share a few things from this verse that I believe are a challenge to us all in our walk of faith.

And the first thing I want us all to understand is:

GOD HAS A PLACE PICKED OUT FOR YOU.

Long before any of us ever got here, God already picked out a place for you, a place where He wants you to be.  God knows where He’s taking you and He knows where He’s taking me.

Now, some of you might be in that place right now.  When the children of Israel got to Canaan – they stayed there:

• that was the place God picked for them;
• that was the place God wanted them to be.

For every one of us, God has looked through His telescope of Time and Space and has picked a place where He wanted you to be – a place where He knows He could best use you. 

For some of you, praise God, Rally Point Biker Church is the place God picked for you – and God knew how to rightly fit HIS body together.

What I really want you to understand is that everything that has happened – all the Good things, all the Bad things have happened for ONE REASON – and that is to get you to the place that God has picked for you.

And let me tell you some things about the place God has picked for you:

1. It is a Successful Place – it is a place of Victory!  You might be saying, “Well I’m not experiencing a lot of victory in my life right now.”  Well guess what?  God’s not finished with you yet, and He is taking you to a place where you will experience some victory.
2. It is a Supplied Place – “A land flowing with Milk and Honey.” “God made sure it had everything they would need before they even got there.  And that’s what God has done in our lives.  He is taking us to a place that is already supplied with everything we need – we just need to be faithful to follow Him to that place.
3. It is a Splendid Place – it is a great place to be.  It is the “glory of all lands.  The most beautiful of all lands.”

God has picked a Place for You.  Some of you may be in that place right now.  Some of you may still be trying to find your way to that place.  But God wants to get you to the place where He can best use you.

Friends, the only way you will ever find real purpose and joy in your Christians life is by getting to the Place God has Picked for You.

GOD KNOWS HOW TO GET YOU TO THAT PLACE

When Kim and I got on our bikes to come here this evening, We pulled out of Drayton, turned left on Pine St, rode down to the Ingles, made a right on Country Club Road, then a left on Union Street, we then got on Cedar Springs (Rt. 56), came all the way down to Miller Town Road, then left onto Dutch Creek Road until we reached 830 Dutch Creek Road.  WE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE GOING AND HOW TO GET THERE!

Now, you think about Abraham.  God tells Abraham “Abraham, I want you to move – but guess what? I’m not gonna tell you where you’re going.  Just get up, pack up and get going.  When you get there – I will let you know!”

Now, where did God take Abraham?  I’ll tell you where took him:

• He took him to a Successful Place
• He took him to a Supplied Place
• He took him to a Splendid Place.

Let me ask you something:

• How many of you knew 5 year ago that we would be in this place today?
• How many of you knew 1 year ago, or even 6 months ago that you’d be in this place?

I don’t think any of us did, but we were all being faithful to follow wherever God was leading.

For some of us, God knew the route He needed to take to get us to the Place where He wanted us to be – to the Place He picked out for us.

Sometimes, that route is not always the most direct route.  The children of Israel wandered in the Wilderness for 40 years before God could get them to the Place where He wanted them to be.

What I want you to realize is that what you and I cannot see – God can see!  God knows how to get us to the place where He wants us to be and he uses several things to get us there:

1. He Uses People.

God used Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Bondage.  And when Moses said he didn’t have the ability, God gave him Arron and Hur to help.

Over and over again, God uses people in the Bible to get people to the Place that He wants them to be.  Sometimes those people are good people, but sometimes those people are bad.  Think about when the early church was formed.  God used the Christ rejecting religious leaders and the Roman Empire to get them to the place He wanted them to be.

• He Uses Problems.

Think about their Bondage in Egypt; think about their Red Sea – with mountains on both sides and nowhere else to go; think about the 40 years wandering in the Wilderness.

Folks, going through the wilderness was not the easy thing to do, but God said, “If you’ll just trust Me, I’m taking you somewhere!”

Now I already know what most of us are thinking:  “I don’t want any problems.”  I know – But God’s taking us somewhere!

Had the Children of Israel not been in Bondage in Egypt, they’d have never had a Promised Land!

• Some of you had to go through your Red Sea to get to the place where God wanted you.
• Some of you had to Wander in the Wilderness to get to the Place where God wanted you.

Not only did God use People to get them where He wanted them to be;

Not only did God use Problems to get them where He wanted them to be, BUT, all along the way:

• He Protected Them on the Journey.

Think about all the obstacles the Children of Israel faced as they were making their Exodus from Bondage.

• They faced the Red Sea – where mountains were on both sides and Pharoah’s Army pursuing from Behind;
• They got to Marah, a place of bitter waters;
• While in the Wilderness, they faced many enemies;

But God  never failed them:

• He parted their Red Sea;
• He gave them a tree in Marah to make the bitter waters sweet!
• While in the Wilderness, He guided them as a Pillar of Fire by night and a Cloud by Day!
• When they had no food, God provided Manna from Heaven;
• When they had no water, God gave water out of a Rock!

The truth is folks, I don’t always understanding why we are in the place we get in  sometimes and I don’t always understand what God is doing – but what I do know is that God is taking us someplace and He knows what it’s going to take to get us to that place, and He has proven over and over again that He we protect us along the way!

YOU CAN MISS THE PLACE GOD PICKED FOR YOU

And friends, that’s what I would call a pitiful site. 

After God had shown Himself MIGHTILY to the Children of Israel by delivering them out of Bondage in Egypt, verse 11 says, “Then I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them—the person who does them will live by them. 12 I also gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign between Me and them, so they will know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart as holy.”  Verse 13 goes on to say, “But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness.” 

Just a few verses down from our text verse, there is another verse that ALMOST reads the same – with one exception.  Verse 15 says:

“Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;”(Ezekiel 20:15).

Joshua 5:6 says, “For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.”

Some of the children of Israel never reached Canaan.  They never reached the Promised Land.  And the sad truth is, there are some children of God today that are never going to reach the place that God has picked for them.

The Children of Israel missed Canaan by:

1. Lacking Faith

Numbers 20:12 says, “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”

By a Lack of Faith, they did not believe that God could get them to the place that He had promised them.

Friends, if we are going to get to the place that God has picked for us, we are gonna have to have faith to believe that God CAN get us there.

They missed it because they Lacked Faith: They missed Canaan because they:

• Lost Focus

Israel sends the 12 spies over into Canaan, 10 come back with a negative report saying “it is a land full of Giants and we are mere grasshoppers in their sight.”

2 of the spies come back and say, “They are bread for us . . .”

Numbers 13:33, “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

What happened here?  Well, they lost their focus.  Rather than focusing on God, they focused on the Giants.

And that’s what happens in our Christian lives – we start focusing on our problems rather than focusing on the Problem Solver!

And when we lose our focus, we risk missing the blessings of life that God has for us.

They Lacked Faith, They Lost Focus, but

• They Left the Father

They went their own way and missed out on the land that God had picked for them.

God has a place picked out for us.  It is a great place, it is a place that has everything we need.  It is a place that represents victory in our Christian lives.

God is leading you and I on this journey of our life to get us to the place He wants us to be.  Along that route, we run into people we don’t like, people that mean to do us harm and we tell God, “God, why did you bring that person in my life?”  Well, God brought that person in your life to get you where He wants you to be.  God then sends some problems into your life that you don’t understand, but I want you to understand that those problems came so God could get you to where He wants you to be.  And once you get there, you realize that God was using people and problems all along the way to get you to that place, but while you were traveling there – God always provided for you and protected you along that journey.

But Sadly, too many people have missed the place God picked for them. 

1. By Lacking Faith – Not believing that God has the ability to take you there.
2. By Losing Focus – getting your eyes off of God and getting them on the Giants.
3. By Leaving the Father – they’ve decided they know the way better than God does, so before they know it, they have gotten further and further from the place that God has hand-picked for you.

Conclusion:  Several years ago, we became involved in Biker Churches.  I was a traditional pastor, so Biker churches were a shocked to my system.  But for whatever reason, God had me in that place.  Looking back now, and seeing the place that I am at, I can clearly see what God was doing along the way.  And maybe the things that got Kim and I to Rally Point are the things that got you to where you are.  God has picked a place for you, a place where He knew He could best use you.  The way we got here may not be the way we would have envisioned; the people and problems we faced along the way might not have been what we were anticipating – but they’re what God used to get us here.  Rather than be bitter about the past, be grateful that those were the things God used to get you where He wanted you to be – the Place God Has Picked for

Many believe that Ezra wrote the actual account of this man Nehemiah. Nehemiah worked on building the physical realm of Jerusalem while Ezra worked the spiritual realm. You might could say that Nehemiah worked on “rebuilding the ruins of the City” while Ezra worked on “rebuilding the ruins of the people.” They both worked together to rebuild the city and the people of God. So, many believe Ezra was the scribe who penned these words in the book of Nehemiah.

Both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are written at a time when God’s people had been exiled. The city of God had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Many of the best and brightest had been carried into captivity, possibly in an effort to “Babylonize” the people of God. But there were remnants that remained in Jerusalem. And over the years, several groups had returned to the city.

Now, some 70-100 years later, paraphrasing what is taking place, Nehemiah is meeting with some friends who have come from Jerusalem, and he is asking how things are going there. And here is what he discovers:

• The remnant that are in the city are in great affliction, they were in hard times;
• The walls of this once great city of God laid in waste and the gates thereof are burned with fire;
• But far worse, this once great nation had now become a reproach to God;

Nehemiah heard these words, and before he prayed, notice what he does. Verse 4 says, “When I heard these words, that I sat down and wept and mourned certain days . . .” Can I just stop right here and say it’s OK to cry and to mourn. John 11:35 tells us that when Jesus came to the tomb of His friend “He wept.” Now our problem is not that we cry and mourn at times, the problem is when we STAY that way.

So, Nehemiah “wept and mourned certain days,” How many days, I don’t know, but then look at what he did, “He fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” Notice when Nehemiah had a broken heart, his first choice was to go to God in prayer. It wasn’t an afterthought, it wasn’t something he was going to do when he got around to it, it wasn’t a last-ditch effort. No, the first thing he did was to fall on his knees and call out to the God of heaven. Nehemiah decided he was going to “Look toward the hills from whence cometh our help” amen! It wasn’t the last thing – it was the first thing.

So Nehemiah “. . . wept and mourned certain days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” But Nehemiah’s prayer didn’t allow him to change his position among the people. Notice this: Nehemiah’s position was that as the King’s cupbearer. And it was a high, trusted position, Yet, although he had a high position in the King’s house, he didn’t let that negate his position and responsibility as part of the family of God. The moral of this story is folks, Don’t allow your position at work, or your education level get in the way of your position in the family of God! YOUR POSITION SHOULD NEVER CHANGE YOUR POSTURE WITH THE PEOPLE GOD!

In verse 5, Nehemiah is going to begin this prayer, and notice how he begins, He begins by attributing 3 separate titles to God. He begins by saying, “I beseech thee, O Lord God of Heaven (there’s the first one), The great and terrible God (there’s the second one), that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:”

• The Lord God of Heaven – speaks of a Ruler
• The Great and terrible God – is Nehemiah giving Him reverence
• But the God who keepeth covenant and mercy – is a God of relationship.

Nehemiah viewed God the way we ought to view God. He is our supreme ruler, Heaven is His home, Earth is His foot stool. We should honor and revere Him and fear Him, But I’m glad He is my God and I have a personal relationship with Him. David said in the Psalms, “The Lord is MY Sheperd . . .”  I’m glad this morning that I have a personal, one-on-one relationship with the God who created the universe, who hung the moon and the stars.

I believe your prayer life will reveal a lot about how we view God. Talking with God ain’t like talking to your friends. So let me share a few things I see in Nehemiah’s prayer beginning in verse 6:

NOTICE FIRST THE CALL

Verse 6 begins, “Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, . . .”

How many of you agree with me that this is Nehemiah doing the praying? And who is he praying to? The God of Heaven right? Why would Nehemiah pray to the God who is all knowing, all powerful and all present, why would Nehemiah say, “LORD, would you listen to me? I’m talking to You.” So we ask, why even pray this?

I think sometimes we view prayer as an obligation. But what it really is, is an Opportunity. God doesn’t have to listen to us. Nehemiah said, “LORD, I know you are on the throne, and I know that down here, I’m simply the King’s cupbearer, I’m just one of your children. But Lord, if You would, if you have some time, would You listen to what I have to say? Would You please listen to my prayer?”

“Lord, I know You don’t have to listen to me, but Lord would You please hear my prayer?”

Folks, if you and I can get to the place where we pray not out of Obligation, but as an opportunity to get into the presence of God, where we can call out to God and say “LORD, it me again, I need You Lord. Will You hear my prayer?”

The Call of Nehemiah, not notice:

THE CONSISTENCY

Verse 6b “. . . which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants,”

This was not a one and done prayer like we so often prayed. This is something he prayed everyday until he heard something from God. I just think there is something to be said about a consistent prayer life.

You know, I believe God hears us the first time we prayer. But I also realize the Bible says that we are to pray without ceasing. I think God doesn’t answer us sometimes because He want to know if we will be consistent, if we really mean business or not. I know folks that have prayed for loved ones to be saved for years before anything ever happened. But they never gave up and they prayed consistently. Folks, I just believe God loves a consistent prayer life.

God wants our consistent prayer, not our convenient prayer.

The Call, the Consistency. Now Notice:

THE CONFESSION

“. . . and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.”

Nehemiah could have pushed the responsibility for the things that went wrong for Israel on to the generation that brought this destruction to the city of God and the people of God . . . but he didn’t. He said, “I and my father’s house have sinned.” Nehemiah said, “God, I’m just as guilty as they are.” “Lord, I have sinned as well, and I don’t deserve Your mercies, I don’t deserve Your grace, but I’m confessing to You now that I have sinned.” Nehemiah confessed that he needed God.

You know something folks, as God’s people, we are not exempt to messing up sometimes, we are not exempt from sinning sometimes. But it is up to us to go before God when we do and confess our sins. John tell us in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And let me tell you right now, if you are a child of God and say you don’t sin, or you haven’t sinned, you’re a liar and the truths not in you. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

The Call, The Consistency, The Confession, Now notice:

THE CONFIDENCE

Verses 8-10, “Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.”

So here is Nehemiah talking to the all-knowing God, and Nehemiah says, “God, do you remember that promise you made to Moses?” And what Nehemiah was saying here was not so much that God would remember, but Nehemiah is going over in his mind the faithfulness of God and all that God had done for His people.

Sometimes folks, I get into a place where I’m talking to God and while talking to Him, I start remembering what God has done for me. I start remembering when God first cured my daughter’s cancer. Then I remembered when her cancer came back, and I found myself praying the same prayers again. It’s not that God forgot my prayers as much as it is I’m reminding myself that if He could do it then, then He can still do it now.

Nehemiah was confident that the God who delivered the Children of Israel for Moses, can deliver the children of Israel again!

Folks, you and I can be confident that if God has done it before, He can do it again. I look around our Nation and how far we have gotten from God. And I ask myself, “Lord is there any hope for America anymore? Lord can you bring revival to America again? Can you bring revival to my home and to my church? And I will say just as the prophet Ezekiel, “LORD GOD THOU KNOWEST!”

The Call, The Consistency, The Confession, The Confidence, now Finally:

THE CUPBEARER

Nehemiah finishes the chapter with these words that seem as though we’d have been fine without them, but here they are, “For I was the King’s cupbearer.”

This was a high-ranking position within the Kings Court, a very trusted position. The cupbearer was the one willing to bear the poison to save the King. Because of that, this was the most trusted position in the Persian Empire. Nehemiah was willing to give his life so that the King could be sparred.

Isn’t it ironic that it is the prayer of this Cupbearer that opened the windows of Heaven for God to once again restore the people of God and the City of God?

Now, let me share that second text with you so can get this text in context, as I tell you about another Cupbearer, who bore the bitter cup of my sins and your sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, so that we can have life and have it more abundantly. Matthew 26:39. records for us that Jesus fell on His face and prayer to the God of Heaven:

“Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

The weapon of warfare Jesus used that night in the Garden was the weapon of prayer. This was a prayer from a Son to His Father – Jesus said, “Father.” It was a prayer of sorrow – “Let this cup pass from me.” But it was also a prayer of complete surrender – “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

Jesus drank this Cup of Sin, Sorrow, and Separation, so that you and I could drink from the Cup of Salvation. The cup that I should have drunk, Jesus drank for me! Thank God today, that you and I can be Saved Through the Prayer of a Cupbearer!

If you have your Bible with you, I’m gonna ask you to turn to I Corinthians 16, and beginning in verse 13: In I Corinthians 15, Paul has just written the best discourse on the Resurrection that you will find anywhere. Chapter 15 is chalk full of doctrinal truth. But in chapter 16, Paul is going to change gears. He kind of gives some summary remarks, and he begins to call some people by name. Notice in verse 13, he says:

^“13 Watch ye (BE ON GUARD – BE ALERT), stand fast in the faith (YOUR FAITH WALK IS NOT GOING TO BE A CAKE WALK), quit you like men, be strong (DON’T GIVE UP EASY). ¹⁴ Let all your things be done with charity (BECAUSE WITHOUT LOVE, IT DON’T MEAN SQUAT). ¹⁵ I beseech you (I BEG YOU, I IMPLORE YOU), brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) ¹⁶ That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth (CAN I JUST SAY RIGHT HERE, I THANK GOD FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BECOME CO-LABORERS TO RALLY POINT BIKER CHURCH) ¹⁷ I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. ¹⁸ For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.”

How wonderful it is to look at some of the pages of the Bible and to see some names that are recorded here for all eternity. How many of you would like to think that you walked so close to God that your name was recorded for all prosperity to see? That is a wonderful thing. Now, grant it, there are some names mentioned in the Bible that I wouldn’t want to be, or even be associated with.

Paul must have thought a whole lot of these folks he is mentioning here. Apparently, from the time Paul began his first missionary journey there, they had gotten saved and have been a consistent, faithful part of that work ever since. These were some of the main leaders, some of the main encouragers of the church in Corinth. And he mentions three of them: The House of Stephanas, The House of Fortunatus, and the House of Achaicus – the First Fruits of Achaia. And here is why Paul mentions them by name: verse 15, “they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.”

There’s an interesting thing that happens when you read the Bible. Let me explain that statement. For years, I have read my Bible, and in fact, have read this section, but it never occurred to me that the Word of God has the word “addicted” in it. I knew it was there, it just never jumped off the page at me.

When we think about being addicted to something in our society, that’s a bad thing. And the problem is, without God in our lives, there’s a big ole empty hole inside of everyone of us. Some people try to fill that hole with drugs, with alcohol, with pornography, with gambling. But God’s the one who created that big ole hole, and guess what, He’s the only one that can fill it.

But the world is trying to stuff that hole full of everything the world has to offer, only to come up empty. And do you know why? Because none of the things the world has to offer can fill it. The only thing that can fill that big gaping hole in your soul – IS GOD.

The thing about addicts is – they can’t get enough of what it is they are addicted to. Everything an addict does is controlled by their addiction. Every decision they make, every place they go, the people they associate with are all determined by their addiction. The more they get of it, the more they won’t of it. And another thing, addicts like to hang out with other addicts. 

But I want to talk to you this morning about a good addiction. I want to talk to you about being “addicted to the ministry of the saints.” The more I thought about this thing the more it stirred my soul. “Addicted to the ministry of the saints,” the more I get the more I want! I can never get enough. So as I thought about the message and what I would titled it, the best I could come up with was to confess to you this morning:

“HI, MY NAME IS JOE, AND I’M AN ADDICT”

And I’m not a recovered one – it’s getting worse! And the more of it I get, the more of it I want! The more I do for Him, the more I want to do for Him. The more I preach His Word, the more I want to preach His Word. Now that’s a good addiction amen! Don’t miss this, Paul said, “Submit yourselves unto such.” What did Paul mean? I think he meant that if you want to look to people who will be an example for you, these are the people you want to look to – those who are Addicted to Jesus! Because, listen, those people who are addicted to Jesus, they have your best interest at heart. So if you want to find somebody to follow, find somebody who’s “addicted to the ministry of the saints.” Somebody whose actions speak louder than their words.

Paul not only said that they should “submit to them,” but he said of them,“They helped us.” Isn’t it funny, a lot of times in the church, the people who do the most talking are the very ones who do the lest? They want to tell everybody else what to do. That’s not the way it was in the New Testament Church. Paul said, “If you want to find a leader, you look to that person that when something needs to be done, they are right there helping. They have their “hands to the plough.” I’m afraid part of the problem in the church today is there are too many people working in the ministry that are not “Addicted to the ministry.”

Speaking of addictions, I will never understand how somebody that calls themselves a Christian, doesn’t want to go to church. Personally, I like to hang out with a bunch of other addicts myself! That’s why I love our church, we got a few folks who have an addiction problem!

These are the folks Paul wanted you and I to remember. These are the people who made a difference in Paul’s life and in his ministry. There’s a couple of things Paul says about them I really want to point out.

FIRST, WHAT WAS LACKING, THEY SUPPLIED

I have come to this conclusion, if every Christian would try to supply what was lacking in somebody else’s life, nobody would go lacking; no ministry would be lacking. We’d be able to start more churches, build bigger churches, send missionaries to the ends of the earth, we’d be able to reach more souls for Christ. If all of us would get to the place that we’re willing to “supply that which was lacking.”

And I’ll tell you, the problem is we have too much stuff! And we don’t want to get rid of our stuff, and in fact, we feel like we need more stuff. Kim and I just moved, and our garage is full of what? STUFF. I believe the fastest growing business in Spartanburg County is Storage buildings. Why? Because we can’t get enough stuff. We’re addicted to it.

If we can ever learn to give up our “stuff,” I think we’d realize God will give us more than we ever dreamed of. But we must get to the place where we are willing to “supply that which was lacking.”

BUT SECOND, PAUL SAYS “THEY HAVE REFRESHED MY SPIRIT, AND YOURS”

This is going to sound pretty backwoods, but “Isn’t it refreshing to be around refreshing people?” Now, have you ever run into somebody at church that in about 5 seconds they just knock the wind right out of your sails? They’re never happy, they never have anything positive to say, they never have an encouraging word, nobody loves them, nobody cares about them? You walk away from them and hope next week they’ll have something positive to say about what God is doing in their lives, then next week arrives – and it’s the same old story? Am I the only one that’s ever run into that? I’m just being honest folks, there’s just some people that it takes me a lot of energy to be around because they suck the refreshment right out of me.

But then, there’s some people who pour refreshment into your soul. They say things that are encouraging, refreshing and uplifting. You might only be there for a minute, but you feel better when you walk away – you feel refreshed when you walk away. Now I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of people I want to be around.

I think the daily prayer of every Christian, from the moment that we wake-up, I think our prayer should be “God, let me be a fresh breath of air to somebody today!”

As some of you know, in 2003, at the height of my ministry, my life fell apart. Sin invaded my home and robbed me of the joy of my salvation. For 10 years, I lived outside of the will of God for my life. Those were some dark days in my life. Not all bad days, in fact, I met my wife during those days, my helpmate. But they were not the life God had called me to. So, there was no real joy.

In 2013, when my granddaughter Emma was 6, Bella was 4, they were staying with us, and Emma, forced me to confront my past. She said to me, “Papa, you used to be a preacher?” Folks, that tore my nerves up.” I begged God not to let her ask another question – but that fell on deaf ears, because Emma followed that up with “Papa, will you take me to church.” And of course, Bella had to chime in, “Yea, Papa, will you take us to church?”

Do you know what I realized in that moment? I realized those two little girls became a fresh breath of air for their Granny and Papa. I realized that for the past 10 years, I was in withdrawals – and I wasn’t fairing to well. I realized as an addict, I wasn’t getting what I needed. I needed a hit of joy and peace back in my life! I needed to be back in fellowship with other addicts!

I would venture to say they are some here today that Satan has convinced you nobody cares about you and your life has no meaning. Let me just remind you that He is a liar! You know what you need to do? You need to get around some Addicts that can help fill that void your lacking, some addicts who can be a fresh breath of air to you.

This past week, that little granddaughter of mine, and her bestie, called and wanted to meet Papa for lunch. Now listen, what kind of 18-year-old wants to have lunch with their ole grumpy papa? But they wanted to share what God was doing in their lives. And as I listen to these girls share what God is doing, and how God is working through them to affect other people. I realized these girls had an addiction problem.” And I went home and God began laying this message on my heart, I knelt down in my study and I prayed, “Oh God, give me a church full of addicts in the ministry like these young women who are on fire for the ministry. God give us a church full of Emma’s and Lane’s. God help me as a pastor to be a PUSHER and get other people “addicted” to the ministry.”

Folks, I want to challenge you this morning to stand firm in your faith, serve with unwavering commitment, and surround yourself with those who are ‘addicted to the ministry of the saints‘—those whose passion for Christ compels them to supply and refresh others, demonstrating that true fulfillment doesn’t come from worldly pursuits, but from a life fully surrendered to God’s work

When you think about Elijah, there’s not really a whole lot that we know about him. We know he was a hairy man; we know that he came out of the wilderness; and we know that he was greatly used by God.

In fact, Elijah was used in a very unusual way, and because of that, we attach the reference of a great man of God or a great prophet. At a minimum, I believe Elijah was one of the most unusual prophets that ever lived.

When you look at his life, he was greatly used by God. So, I guess I would ask this fine crowd this morning, “How many of you think that we have a Great God?” How many of you believe that God still does great works today?

It would be very easy for me to preach a message titled “The Secret to How Elijah was Greatly Used of God.” But I’m not going to do that.

How many of you have eaten some of Roman’s cooking? How many of you would agree that Roman is a great cook?  Now I have had some food sometimes that I wanted to know the ingredients. You can go to Roman and ask, “Brother, what are the ingredients you used in that?” and he will probably reply, “O, a little of this and a little of that.”

Or you can ask Roy the recipe for his tri-tips, and he’ll say, “O, a little of this and a little of that.” I think these guys went to school together!

Sometimes in life we come across people that seem to be different, that seem to really be walking with God, they seem to reflect the presence of God in their lives. They just seem to have that special sauce. SO, this morning I want to speak on this thought, “THE SECRET SAUCE ON THE THINGS GOD GREATLY USES!”

To understand where I’m going, I need to give you a little background. In chapter 16 and verse 30 the Bible says, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.”

In other words, the wickedness that was in the land before, Ahab was about to kick it up a notch and take it Evil and Wickedness to a whole new level. How many of you believe that we live in a wicked day today? I don’t think we’ve seen the end of that. It seems to me that men wax worse and worse. We see things happening in our country today that seem to have taken wickedness to a whole new level, things that make me ashamed.

What I’m saying folks is that evil is on the rise. We are tolerating and accepting today as the norm that 30 years ago would have made us blush. Evil is on the rise. And that is the setting that Elijah finds himself.

Verse 31 says, “And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat . . .”

In other words, Ahab made this guy who was totally wicked look like he was just some school kid slinging out a curse word, his sins were just small things compared to Ahab.

“He took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.”

So here is a king of a nation, whose God is the LORD, and he is worshipping and serving Baal. “Baal” means little “l” lord. I’m glad there is only one capital “L” LORD in the Bible.

Look at verse 32, “And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.”

In other words, Idolatry was being restored in the nation that was supposed to get rid of it. And verse 33 says, “And Ahab made a grove . . .” They were supposed to get rid of the groves. They were supposed to get rid of all these things that would turn the hearts of God’s men to false idols.

And now they are being restored, they are being put back into place. And so God said of “Ahab did more to provoke the LORD GOD of Isreal to anger than all the kings of Isreal that were before him.” He made God mad!!!

What I’m saying is the backdrop to I Kings 17 is that wickedness is on the rise, Idolatry is on the rise. It seems to me, that there are fewer and fewer people sitting on the pews of church nowadays, and more and more people at the ball fields, or the race tracks. It just seems to me that we are not the “One Nation Under God that we once were.

And sadly, we just get into our little spiritual huddles and pray that we hold out until the rapture. Well folks, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live in a whole until Jesus comes.

Now look at chapter 17 and verse 1, “AND ELIJAH . . .” in the middle of all that wickedness, in the middle of all the idolatry, God decides, “I’m going to go ahead a do a work anyway!”

Wickedness may be on the rise, idol worship may be on the rise, false temples may be built, Baal may be there little “g” God – BUT GOD WASN’T DONE!

And I have great news for Rally Point Biker Church this morning, God is not finished working in our lives in this world we live in right now!

I want to show you 5 things that God uses, and the secret to the usefulness of these things.

FIRST, GOD USES THE UNKNOWN WHO HAS FAITH IN HIS MESSAGE

“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”.

When Elijah comes on the scene, we know absolutely nothing about him. All we know is he is hairy, he wears leather clothing and he comes from the hills. He is just an unknown man of God – and that’s all he is.

But we read chapter 17 and 18 and in chapter 19, we see him call down the fire from Heaven, and we see this great man of God, this great prophet of God – but when he steps out in I Kings 17:1, all we know about him is that he is a man who steps out WITH FAITH IN GOD’S MESSAGE.

Our problem today as a society is that everybody wants to be know. We have snapchat and twitter and all these others accounts and we want to be influencers, we want people to know who we are.

It happens in churches as well. We talk about the size of a church, how many degrees the preacher has, how many books they’ve written, which Seminary they graduated from, how many people do they have in their sphere of influence

But that’s not what God did. God saw this man named Elijah, that nobody knows, whose name means “Yahweh is my God.” God says, “That’s the guy I’m going to use!

Elijah didn’t have a ministry; he didn’t have a church; “Hey Elijah, how people’d you run on Sunday?” he wasn’t a social media influencer;  “Elijah, how many followers you got on TikTok?”

Elijah is not known. But here is his secret sauce – HE HAS FAITH IN GOD’S MESSAGE.

Look at what Elijah says in verse 1, “Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word,”

SO, Elijah just appears out of nowhere and he takes this message that God said it wasn’t going to rain in 3 ½ years, he obediently carries this message to King Ahab – no questions asked. Elijah had faith in the message! Let me ask you, do you have faith in the message of God today?

How many of you believe that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation? The church of today is trying to replace the message of God with programs, but folks I still believe the death burial and resurrection of Jesus is still the message of the church today!

Elijah had faith in the message. And folks’ I believe that a “nobody, who believes in somebody, change impact everybody!”

SECOND GOD USES THE UNDESIRABLE WHO YIELD TO HIS WORD

Look at verse 4, “And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.”

Let me sak you first, how many of you like to hunt and eat Ravens? How many of you have a picture of a raven hanging in your living room? They are disgusting, unclean animals.

How many have ever watched birds feeding one another?  Now, with that picture in mind, do you want this filthy unclean animal feeding you?

Now look at verse 6, “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.”

I could be wrong here, but I’m pretty sure that that Raven didn’t sprinkle on some Gordon Ramsey spices and cook that meat up before he brought it to Elijah. And to think he had to eat that in the morning and the evening, and it my elementary math holds up – that’s twice a day!

Now how undesirable is that? Funny how God can use those who don’t have a voice, those who can’t sing, those who can’t preach, those who are nobodies in the eyes of the world to do incredible things for the work of God.

Well preacher, I’m divorced; I don’t have the right kind of education; I’ve had an addiction; I have PTSD. The devil will tell you there are a hundred things that makes you undesirable, unable to ever be used of God,

BUT GOD TAKES DELIGHT IN USING THE THINGS OTHER PEOPLE LEAVE LYING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.

Look at the end of verse 4, “and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.” The secret sauce is, those ravens simply obeyed God. Every day they simply did what God commanded them to do.

I think our lives and our churches would be a whole lot better off if we simply obeyed the Word of God, don’t you?

FINALLY, GOD WILL USE THE WEAK WHO SUBMIT TO HIS WORD

Look at verse 9, “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”

So, to give you the backdrop here, there is a widow woman, I image she is not an old widow woman, as she has a son still under her care, but a widow non-the-less. She barely has enough food to feed her own son, and here is this prophet of God asking her to make him some bread. And you know what she did?

She yielded to the man of God. She didn’t have to. God gave her the will to choose. But she yielded to God’s man, and because she did, God fill her containers up with enough food to carry her for weeks. But that wasn’t the end of the story.

Get this picture emblazoned in your minds. Here comes this preacher, he says, “Go fetch me a cup of water, in the middle of a draught. Then he says, “Go fix me a cake, and feed me first,” to a woman that doesn’t have enough to feed her and her own son.

What do you think the lame stream media would say about that preacher if that widow would have posted that on social media?

Let me give to you in even better terms. What would happen if that Widow walked into this church and said to y’all, “Preacher Joe came over, told me to make him some cake, when I don’t even have enough cake to feed me and my kids? Do y’all think I should make him the cake?

So here is the wild looking Tishbite that came out of the hills, saying he’s been feed by the birds, now he wants you make him a cake, when you don’t even have enough to feed your own family. Y’all would say, “He’s crazy, you need to get him out of your house.”

But do you know what she did, she not only listened to what God’s man was saying, but she did what he asked.

I’m going to conclude with this thought, verse 12 tells us she had a “handful of mill in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse.” Now there might have been a full barrel at one time, and that cruse might have been filled to the bream – but they are not now.

Sometimes in our Christian lives, we have been full of peace and joy unspeakable. But can I submit that there are times in our lives when we are when we feel like we are just used up and there’s not much left in the tank. We think to ourselves we have nothing left to give.

Some of you may be there right now. Can I just encourage you to trust God, to believe His Word, to know that He is supplying all your needs according to His riches in glory! You may just have a little mill left in your barrel, but YOUR BARREL is not empty! Trust God